(Matt McCarthy/Daily News photo) Iron Mountain-Kingsford-Norway’s Kody Hendricks hurls a pitch in the third inning Friday afternoon against the Escanaba Cubs. Right fielder Caleb Evosevich-Hynes looks on.

IRON MOUNTAIN — On a bright and sunny day from LiUNA Field, the host team Iron Mountain-Kingsford-Norway 19U played their second game in as many days in the U.P. 19U baseball tournament, facing the Escanaba Cubs. Powered by solid pitching and a four-run third inning, Iron Mountain defeated Escanaba 5-2.

Norway’s Kody Hendricks started the game on the mound for the home team. He hurled nearly 80 pitches in 4 1/2 innings, allowing only one hit and two runs, but both were unearned. He struck out seven Escanaba hitters.

He gave the ball to Kingsford’s Sawyer Pugh, who in an inning and a half of work, didn’t allow any hits or runs. Gannon Bray of Norway began the top of the seventh inning for Norway, threw 30 pitches and struck out two batters.

IM manager Paul Julian brought Nathan Bousley in to pitch and record the final out, to keep Bray’s pitch count down for use in future tournament games.

Iron Mountain got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning, with Caleb Johnson drawing a walk. Johnson was on the move with a hit and run, as Hendricks hit a grounder towards third, that was fielded by Escanaba pitcher Hunter Lancour. Lancour, who pitched fairly well, considering Iron Mountains’ deep and veteran lineup, throw errantly to first and Johnson scored to put the home team ahead 1-0.

Iron Mountain’s four-run third inning got started with designated hitter Hunter McCarthy cracking a double. He ended up at third due to a throwing error and later scored on a wild pitch, to put IM ahead 2-0.

Shortstop Blake Julian, Bryce Pietrantonio and Johnson all scored runs as well in the inning to put the hosts ahead 5-0.

“The four-run inning, that was the game right there,” said Julian. “It put the momentum in our favor and they couldn’t regroup from it completely. We needed this win and it’s great to get it.”

Escanaba got a few runners on base in the top half of the fourth inning, with Grant LaMarch and Noah Lancour recording RBI’s.

With the loss, which was the Cubs’ second of the day after falling 10-1 to arch rival Gladstone, Escanaba was all but officially eliminated from the pool play format tournament. Jon Bintner acknowledged that his team’s struggles in both games reflected the team’s season.

“With such a young pitching staff, we’ve been fighting with walks,” Bintner said. “And once we walk those early batters, they score and we get behind in games.”

Bintner also noted that despite the 17U Junior Cubs team wining the U.P. Championship last weekend, the 19U team has struggled to get more than 10 or 11 players to suit up for most games.

“The guys we did have play the majority of our games this season, have gotten some great experience this year and got lots of playing time, due to our limited roster,” said Bintner. “Our future is bright, we’ve got some good young players.”

Leading the way offensively for IM-K-Norway was McCarthy, who reached base all four times. He stroked a triple, a double, a single and reached on a fielder’s choice.

Caleb Evosevich-Hynes was 2 for 3 with a walk, and Pietrantonio was 2 for 3 with a head-first slide underneath the tag at home plate in the third inning.

Escanaba defeated the Copper Country Flames Thursday night, but both Escanaba and CC are now eliminated from the tournament. Iron Mountain defeated Copper Country Friday night, making them the No. 2 seed in Pool B and they’ll take on Menominee who is the No. 1 seed in Pool A, in the first semifinal at 10 a.m. Central time today.

Seed No. 1 in Pool B, Gladstone, will take on Marquette, who is the No. 2 seed in Pool A at 1 p.m. Central time in the second semifinal. The tournament championship game is set for 4 p.m. Central time this afternoon, with all three of today’s games being held at LiUNA Field in Iron Mountain.

Box Score

E– 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 — 2

IM– 0 1 4 0 0 0 * –5